Great Customer Service Matters
I am rarely inspired to sit down and write a business owner a thank you letter for good customer service - I think it's just expected if you want me as a repeat customer. But moving to a new town and trying to find a new hair salon has proven challenging at best. I've had two mediocre experiences at other salons and was feeling hopeless ...until today!
I give the folks at The Green Peridot a big gold star for their customer service savvy. Why was my experience there great?
1.They were professional and inviting. Everything they did up front - their website, my initial scheduling appointment, their confirmation call - all said in essence "We're glad to hear from you and we look forward to serving you. Your business matters to us."
2. They were personal, too. When I walked in the door, both front desk people greeted me with smiles and as soon as I explained who I was, my new hair stylist, Suzi, came out to greet me and shook me by the hand and said "Hi, I'm Suzi!" (I've been amazed at how many people do not follow this simple rule of good business etiquette!)
3. They were good problem solvers. Apparently, Suzi's schedule got a little wonky today and she was running 30 minutes late when I arrived. But they had a plan. First, they'd tried to call me to avert the problem but I'd already left the house. Then when I arrived, Suzi explained to me my options "I'm so sorry, I'm running late. Do you have some other errands you could do? Would you like to shop in the area? You could sit and read? Or we could reschedule you for another day. Whatever you would like."
She left the choice up to me which felt SO great! How many times do you sit waiting for an appointment and feel annoyed because you feel "trapped"? I chose to run errands which worked out great for me.
4. They offered good ideas and resources. I'm new to town and still get lost and don't know many people. Suzi gave me some great tips on shortcuts around town and where to go to meet people we might enjoy.
5. The owner introduced herself to me as I was checking out. When she overheard I was new to town, she approached me and shook my hand, asked me a few questions about myself and thanked me for my business.
So, I just popped my thank you note in the mail (yes, snail mail, I decided this deserved a stamp!)to the folks at The Green Peridot and I'll definitely be returning there.
Think about your own business - do you consistently provide great customer service? If not, what small changes could you make to have big results?
Think about other businesses you frequent - when was the last time you acknowledged someone for doing a great job? I'd encourage you to try it...it made me feel great to write a thank you note and I imagine they'll be tickled to receive it.
What do you think are other hallmarks of good customer service? Please comment... I'd love to hear your ideas!
